New Grow Bed for Satsuki Azaleas

[penumbra]

Built this bed yesterday to hold and grow my satsuki azaleas. It will have a hoop and white plastic over it for winter. Bed is 4 x 8 feet long and 12 inches high. It is taller than it needed to be but it will have a future use for larger satsuki. Bed is filled with medium sized pine bark often called mini-nuggets. It sure will cut down on my watering. There are 32 plants in the bed which gives me plenty of room for pruning and training and a couple years of growth. I am going to make another bed soon that will be about 4 x 12 feet and 10 inches tall, which is plenty tall enough.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Hmmmm... A rabbit food tray! It's going to be fat winter...

 

[penumbra]

No rabbits here. Plenty of cats, hawks, owls, foxes and and occasional coyote. Glad the bears don't mess with my plants. See them a few times a week. Dear are more of an issue but they hate the coyote urine I spread around and it will be covered for winter.

Also, 22 mag, 22 lr, 9mm, 357, 223, 30-30, 410, 20 and 12 gauge, black powder, and several bow configurations.

 

[Davidlpf]

Nice setup, but, what is the purpose of burying the pots? the roots may run away by the drainage holes, and grow in a weird form

 

[hinmo24t]

Nice setup, but, what is the purpose of burying the pots? the roots may run away by the drainage holes, and grow in a weird form

better chance of survival in the winters, and the roots escaping can make for a stronger tree
doesnt have to water or deal w temperature swings as much

 

[hinmo24t]

mosquito bits on there or whats that top dressing in the pots?

 

[Davidlpf]

better chance of survival in the winters, and the roots escaping can make for a stronger tree
doesnt have to water or deal w temperature swings as much

Ok, but, then, why don't take the pots off? The roots will grow better, more even and in a radial form "naturally".

 

[rockm]

You know what varieties of Satsuke you have?

 

[hinmo24t]

Ok, but, then, why don't take the pots off? The roots will grow better, more even and in a radial form "naturally".

that will get addressed later im sure, theyre easier to manage in the pots probably for now

 

[rockm]

Ok, but, then, why don't take the pots off? The roots will grow better, more even and in a radial form "naturally".

Only speculating, but the grow beds keep the soil moister and cooler than left exposed. The soil in the pots looks to be kanuma, which is what satsukis do well in (better than large chunks of mulch... Kanuma can dry out quickly. With so many plants, watering them all is probably time-consuming. In Japanese satsuki nurseries grow like this...

 

[penumbra]

better chance of survival in the winters, and the roots escaping can make for a stronger tree
doesnt have to water or deal w temperature swings as much

exactly so

 

[penumbra]

mosquito bits on there or whats that top dressing in the pots?

Some pots have kanuma and some have a blended growing mix. I have been watching them about 6 weeks now and I have not seen a difference in growth. I know kanuma is supposed to be the big whoop, but I think my mix will do better.

 

[penumbra]

Ok, but, then, why don't take the pots off? The roots will grow better, more even and in a radial form "naturally".

The name of the game is pot or container culture. Its a conversation that would take days. There is a reason plants are grown in pots.

 

[penumbra]

You know what varieties of Satsuke you have?

They are all labeled but off the top of my head, no. There is a list around here somewhere. I will post it later.

 

[rockm]

They are all labeled but off the top of my head, no. There is a list around here somewhere. I will post it later.

I ask because from experience and from advice from some locally knowledgeable bonsai folks, some satsuik cultivars are more winter hardy than others. I have one (shiro ebisu) that will take single digits and have no issues. I've got friends who have satsukis that have died when exposed to 20s...

 

[Carol 83]

the big whoop

Haven't heard that expression for awhile, made me laugh.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

I think @penumbra has a great idea with his project and am very interested in seeing his results.

I have wintered over all my azaleas, Satsuki and a couple kurumes …. over 75 last winter (lots more this year!) in cold frames, dug in the ground inside with wood nuggets underneath for drainage and atop of the media for the past three years and haven’t lost a one….

Well… there were a couple that got crushed when it snowed and then rained last winter and both frames got dished in . Front Royal likely gets a tad cooler than we do, but I’d say having in a cold frame over raised beds, up a bit off the ground ought to do the trick.

One experience I’d interject about growing close to the ground…. In my experience lacebugs seem to be more of an issue when in more sun and are placed closer to the ground. Not an issue if you are aware of it, recognize those little black spots (fecal pellets) on the underside of the leaves, and take action with imidacloprid.

I’m not going to get in a media fight, but I admit I am curious to know what composition your much better performing media is? Guaranteed no comment will be given here, but I’m always up to gather more data on what works for others. Just for transparency I do use 90% kanuma and 10% pumice nowadays - so 90% of your big whoop.

Finally, I’ve found my satsuki’s and some kurumes out here like more sun then I originally thought, so siting would be my only comment, but I’m sure you have calculated for this.

cheers
DSD sends

 

[penumbra]

I ask because from experience and from advice from some locally knowledgeable bonsai folks, some satsuik cultivars are more winter hardy than others. I have one (shiro ebisu) that will take single digits and have no issues. I've got friends who have satsukis that have died when exposed to 20s...

Thus the wintering hoop house. But actually most of mine are from New England. The most delicate ones, like those in bonsai pots, will go in a cold frame.

 

[shinmai]

Bonide systemic insecticide granules work wonders in fighting azalea lacewings. One teaspoon per tree per month, sprinkled on the surface and watered in. [It’s imidacloprid.]

 

[Shogun610]

No rabbits here. Plenty of cats, hawks, owls, foxes and and occasional coyote. Glad the bears don't mess with my plants. See them a few times a week. Dear are more of an issue but they hate the coyote urine I spread around and it will be covered for winter.

Also, 22 mag, 22 lr, 9mm, 357, 223, 30-30, 410, 20 and 12 gauge, black powder, and several bow configurations.

But George , I thought you said there was gonna be bunny wabbits